Growing out of a project between Reish, Thompson, and John Bosson (of Mershak), Atta Boy gained momentum when Reish and Thompson decided to start a new project. Eden Brolin entered the picture and they began writing songs. Reish ran into drummer Lewis Pullman and mentioned that they were starting a new band, and Pullman joined shortly after. Pullman invited the group over to his house for what amounted to the one and only official practice of Atta Boy with all four members present.
In 2011, on the curtails of graduating high school, the band recorded their self-titled EP, which was then released in early 2012.
The following summer, Atta Boy held a Kickstarter to fund the creation of their first album. After exceeding their goal, the band headed back into the studio and recorded their LP, Out of Sorts, released at the end of 2012.
Started in high school, Atta Boy has proven to be a long-lasting endeavor. Although separated by the vast majority of the United States, the band continues to play and make music whenever possible.
Roadblock
Atta Boy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So, let's take the train, to the coast 'fore the rain gets here.
Hurricanes can't be seen, at all where the airplanes fly.
So just box old prayers, unheard words when they know the lie.
Up late, down low, no sleep, nowhere to go.
Cold spell, no snow, two feet, nothing to show.
Six weeks, now past, and stand still, don't go too fast.
I can see the lights of the ship.
Can you see it, too?
Don't you dare, too cross,
What they say's not true.
Up late, down low, no sleep, nowhere to go.
Cold spell, no snow, two feet, nothing to show.
Six weeks, now past, and stand still, don't go too fast.
Sweet dreams, at last, cheap thrills, because I asked.
It's a shame you left, way back when all the roads were clear.
So, I'll take the train, to the coast, but you won't be here.
Atta Boy's song "Roadblock" tells the story of someone who is facing a lot of obstacles in their life but remains hopeful that they will overcome them. The opening lines "One more detour now, one roadblock then the road looks clear" suggest that there have been many setbacks, but the person is optimistic that things will eventually work out. The song goes on to describe their journey to the coast to avoid an approaching storm, with the line "Hurricanes can't be seen, at all where the airplanes fly" suggesting that the person is making a difficult journey by train rather than taking the more comfortable option of flying.
The lyrics also touch on themes of frustration and regret, with the lines "It's a shame you left, way back when all the roads were clear" suggesting that the person is missing someone who could have been a source of comfort and support during their struggles. However, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the person finding solace in "sweet dreams" and "cheap thrills" because they know how to ask for them.
Line by Line Meaning
One more detour now, one roadblock then the road looks clear.
We have one more obstacle to surpass, but after that, everything looks good.
So, let's take the train, to the coast 'fore the rain gets here.
Let's take the train to the coast before it starts raining.
Hurricanes can't be seen, at all where the airplanes fly.
Airplanes can't see hurricanes from the sky.
So just box old prayers, unheard words when they know the lie.
We know our prayers go unanswered, so we'll keep them boxed up instead of wasting our time.
Up late, down low, no sleep, nowhere to go.
We have been staying up late and feeling sad, without any purpose or destination.
Cold spell, no snow, two feet, nothing to show.
It's cold outside, but not enough to snow; we have only our two feet to get us by and nothing to show for it.
Six weeks, now past, and stand still, don't go too fast.
Six weeks have elapsed, and we are at a standstill. We should take it easy and not rush ahead.
Sweet dreams, at last, cheap thrills, because I asked.
Finally, we can have some nice dreams and cheap excitement, just because we've asked for it.
I can see the lights of the ship.
I can see the ship's lights in the distance.
Can you see it, too?
Can you see the ship's lights as well?
Don't you dare, too cross,
Don't get too angry or upset.
What they say's not true.
What they are saying is untrue.
It's a shame you left, way back when all the roads were clear.
It's unfortunate that you left when everything was good.
So, I'll take the train, to the coast, but you won't be here.
I'll take the train to the coast, but I'll be alone because you won't be with me.
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.